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Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Have your kids been begging you for a rabbit? Or maybe you've been begging yourself for a rabbit, you're just not sure if they are worth the commitment. While they can require a lot of care, they are also extremely fun animals and wonderful pets. Here are a few interesting things you may not have known about having rabbits that may just convince you to get one.

Rabbits Like Their Territory

Did you know that rabbits rule their roost? They like to have lots of space, and they are fast to establish where they like to eat, sleep, or use the bathroom. If you clean their space with them around, they may grunt at your and become quite frustrated that you're invading their space.

They Can Get Bored

Rabbits actually need to have plenty of socialization, space to exercise and plenty of toys. They like to be entertained continually, and if you are having trouble finding something that works for them, you can come talk to us and we can point you in the right direction.

When They're Happy, Rabbits Purr

Like cats, they purr, but it isn't the same sound that a cat makes. It resembles teeth chattering or light chomping. You'll become very familiar with this sound when you become a bunny parent.

Their Nails and Teeth Never Stop Growing

This is such a crazy concept, but their nails and teeth with continue to grow all through their life. They will need a nail trim about every six weeks, and you have to provide timothy hay and wooden toys for them to keep their teeth in check. If their teeth get too long it can make eating painful, and even 12 hours without food could be deadly, so keep a close eye on their habits.

Bunnies Need a Special Doctor

The same vet who treats your dogs and cats isn't always the best option for your bunny. You'll want to find someone who is an expert in rabbits, and while they may be harder to find, or more expensive, it will be worth it. You'll want to look for a vet who specializes in lagomorphs.

Rabbits Digest Twice

Who knew that rabbits actually eat their droppings?! Healthy rabbits eat soft cecotropes directly from their droppings. The hard round pellets that you see are the second round of elimination, and you can discard that.

Your Rabbit Has a Unique Personality

Rabbits are their own species and unlike dogs and cats. Before considering bringing a rabbit home, you should make sure that not only your family but your current pets will be ready for this transition. Bonding can take time and energy, and you'll want to guard your pets closely when they are interacting for the first several times.

Rabbits are the third-most abandoned animals in the shelters, so it's important not only to think seriously about this commitment before getting one but to consider adopting before buying. These cuddly, cute creatures can make great pets, and are also a great way to teach your kids about caring for animals. If you're looking for supplies for your new furry friend, we can help you find them! We have rabbit pellets at the Lake of the Ozarks, as well as any specialty feed that you may be looking for. Come in and visit us today for any of your farming supplies at the Lake of the Ozarks, we would love to help you!

Friday, May 20, 2016

One of the highlights of the summer is when the hummingbirds arrive! Every year these incredible, tiny birds make their way to the midwest, and they are extremely fun to watch and enjoy. At Camdenton Farm and Garden, we are proud to provide you with a quality product that helps you care for and enjoy your backyard birds in every season, and we're even known far and wide as the best place to get bird feeders at the Lake of the Ozarks! Here are a few fun products we have, and some fun facts about these fun little birds!

25-30 percent of a hummingbird’s weight is in its pectoral muscles. These are the broad chest muscles principally responsible for flight.

An average hummingbird’s heart rate is more than 1,200 beats per minute.

Hummingbirds have no sense of smell but have very keen eyesight.

A hummingbird can lick 10-15 times per second while feeding.

There are more than 340 species of hummingbirds.

Depending on the species hummingbirds live on average 3 to 5 years. But have been known to live as long as 12 years.

A hummingbird's bill varies dramatically depending on the species. Most have a fairly long, thin bill that allows them to reach down to the nectar of a flower. With the bill slightly open they use their tongue to quickly lap up the nectar inside.

To conserve energy overnight a hummingbird enters a hibernation-like sleep state called torpor.

Before migrating, the hummingbird will store up a layer of fat equal to half its body weight in order to slowly use up this energy source while flying.

The hummingbird can hover, fly forwards, backwards and even upside down.

At rest, a hummingbird takes an average of 250 breaths per minute. Their breathing pace will increase when they are in flight.

How to Care for Your Hummingbirds

Look for a feeder that will be easy to clean, since you will need to clean it frequently through the summer. You should also determine the type of population you have, and choose a feeder whose size will match that. Because the food does need to be replaced every four to five days, you don't want to have a lot of leftover food if it goes rancid, so if you aren't able to use all of the food in the feeder, you can also only fill it halfway. Are you noticing that the hummers are being territorial? You can put out several feeders and that will help alleviate it.

Placement Of Your Feeder

You will want to place your feeder at least four feet above the ground so they will be beyond the reach of cats or other predators. You can also place the feeder in a shady spot that you can see from your window! The shade will help the nectar last longer and then you can watch them through your window.

Not only is feeding the hummingbirds a great way to support these small creatures, it can be a very fun and rewarding hobby. At Camdenton Farm and Garden, we have a beautiful selection of feeders, nectar and hum buttons for your cute little hummers. From large intricate designs to smaller ones for your small colony, we have it all. Come out and see us this week to get everything you need to care for the hummers in your yard!

Thursday, May 12, 2016

One of the joys of summer for any farmer or gardener is watching all of your produce come to fruition - literally! From the early lettuce and tomatoes to the fruits that start to pop out and ripen in the laters summer, all season there is something to love. At Camdenton Farm & Garden we are proud to provide you and your family with the tools you need to care for your produce, whether it comes from a small plant or a large tree.

If you've always wanted to plant fruit trees on your property, but just aren't sure where to start, we can help. Here are a few of the best fruit trees to be planted in Missouri, and we'll also tell you about some products we offer to care for them!

Apple

This American favorite is a wonderful addition to your yard due to the many varieties and strategies for using your produce! A mature apple tree will normally produce abou 50-150 pounds of apples in one year. If you're not sure what variety of tree to get, you can always speak with one of our staff memebers, we would be glad to help you find something that would be right for you.

Cherry

There are sweet cherries and sour cherries, and both can be grown in Missouri, though some are better tan others. Most sour cherries do well in the Missouri climate, but sweet cherries can require some maintenance. You can use cherreis in many delicious recipes, from pies and tarts to even jellies. You can expect to get between 40 to 120 pounds of cherries in a year.

Peach

Warm and juicy peaches are a wonderful addition to your yard, but you do have to be aware of wildlife trying to steal them from you! You'll want to choose a variety that can withstand colder winters, since you never know what Missouri will throw at you. A mature peach tree will generally yeild about 150-250 pounds per year.

Pear

Crisp, sweet, bright green or yellow, and perfectly delicious - that's what you'll experience with a pear tree. Pears do grow well in most parts of Missouri, but they are prone to blight, so you'll want to get the right products to help keep that away. You should expect to see 400-650 pounds of pear in a year off of your mature tree!

Plum

Did you know, that in just one year you can expect to see 40-120 pounds of plums on your tree? This fruit is a delicious addition to any yard, they are the perfect combination of sweet and sour, and can grow well in most areas. Though, they are a stone fruit, so the furth north you get the harder it could be to keep them alive.

The Lake area is a wonderful place to grow fruit trees. We have wonderful, warm summers, but we also don't generally have extremely cold winters. All year long you can watch your fruit flower into a delicious treat, and different fruits ripen at different times through out the year! While some may be done in late summer, you will find that others are not done until late fall. Do you have questions about caring for your Lake of the Ozarks fruit trees? Check out our past blog called How to Care for Your Fruit Trees or feel free to stop in and talk with one of our employees!

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Have you always wanted to turn your backyard into a small farm, but just don't know where to start? At Camdenton Farm & Garden, we are here to help you with farming no matter how large or small your plot of land is. Here are a few things you may want to prepare for when you start your small chicken farm in the backyard of your home.

How Many Chickens

You may be tempted to start a huge flock of chickens, but take into account how many eggs a chicken will lay, and how many you and your family will actually eat. A chicken from a good laying breed that is less than two years old will typically lay about 5 eggs per week. In many cases, a great laying chicken will even lay up to seven per week. Think about how many eggs your family eats, and then get the number of chickens that will suit you best. Of course, if you end up with too many eggs per week, you can always find someone who wants fresh eggs!

How to Choose a Chicken Coop

First, you'll need to think about the size of your Lake of the Ozarks chicken coop. Even if you only want to start out with 2-3 chickens, you may want to get a coop that would hold a few more so you can expand if you ever want to. Next, you'll want to think about the style of your coop, and your property can make a difference in this. If you have a hilly area, you might not want to get a rolling coop. Do you want to purchase a coop that's already built, or are you wanting to build one yourself? You can get some cool ideas for your next chicken coop from our Pinterest Board called Chicken Coops!

What Types of Chicken Feed Will You Use?

At Camdenton Farm & Garden, we offer several varieties of chicken feed at the Lake of the Ozarks that will be the perfect type of food for your poultry. We really like PenPals Egg Maker and Scratch Grains, but we also carry many other varieties.

Egg Maker Complete is designed to meet the complete nutritional needs of domestic layers in production. No additional grain, protein, mineral, or vitamin sources are needed. It is a 16% protein, 3% fat pelleted feed to support maximum egg production. Provide clean, fresh water at all times.

Scratch grains are designed to be fed with poultry supplements to make complete rations for laying hens and meat birds. Scratch grains are comprised of a loose mixture of coarsely cracked corn and whole grains. It is an ideal product to use with Egg Maker Balancer in a 1:1 ratio along with free-choice oyster shell for laying hens.

If you're ready to start this new adventure, and you've already checked to make sure there aren't any legal issues with having poultry in your backyard, it's time to get your chickens! At Camdenton Farm and Garden, we are proud to host Chick Days this weekend on Saturday, May 7th from 8 AM to noon. You can look at a variety of different poultry, and we'll help answer any questions you may have about them! Come out and see us for a good time, and great information on having your own backyard chickens at the Lake of the Ozarks!